Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins celebrated a milestone on Sunday, joining an elite group of NFL signal‑callers with at least 300 career touchdown passes. Cousins three TD throws helped the Las Vegas Raiders secure a 27‑13 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the league’s opening week.
Milestone achievement
With the third touchdown pass of the game, Cousins career total rose to 301, moving him into 14th place on the all‑time list and surpassing John Elway by one. He became the 15th quarterback in league history to reach the 300‑TD mark.
Game summary
The Raiders opened the contest with a dominant 16‑play, 93‑yard drive that consumed 8:58 of the clock, putting the first points on the board. After a defensive stand, Las Vegas never fell behind. The offense added two more scores before halftime, building a 17‑3 lead.
Miami rallied in the third quarter, narrowing the gap to 17‑13, but a 50‑yard kickoff return by Dylan Laube set up Cousins 13‑yard touchdown pass to running back Ashton Jeanty, restoring a comfortable margin. The Raiders added a late field goal to seal the win.
Key performances
Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, caught two of Cousins touchdown passes, rushed for 102 yards, and added six receptions for 45 yards. This marked Jeanty’s third career 100‑yard rushing game, showing he has recovered fully from an ankle injury suffered on Aug. 23.
Rookie quarterback Malik Willis, playing under pressure, threw for 220 yards but was intercepted twice and sacked five times, including 1½ by veteran defensive end Maxx Crosby, who recorded his 70th career sack.
Coaching impact
First‑year head coach Klint Kubiak, formerly the offensive coordinator for Seattle’s Super Bowl‑winning team, oversaw an offense that posted 290 total yards, a noticeable improvement over last season’s league‑worst average of 245.2 yards per game and 14.2 points per game.
The Raiders now face a challenging six‑game stretch that includes trips to Kansas City, Buffalo and the Los Angeles Rams, a true test of whether the offensive upgrades can sustain success.
Injuries
Miami’s linebacker Ronnie Harrison Jr. left the game with a hamstring injury in the second half. Las Vegas defensive back Darien Porter exited in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed issue.
Looking ahead
The Dolphins travel to San Francisco next week, while the Raiders head to the Los Angeles Chargers for their second game of the season.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Raiders’ progress as they aim to build on this strong opening performance.
Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.
